Material handling apparatus



Dec. 8, 194.2. s. P. McDANlELS MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS zgmmw FiledJan. 10, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l lllhnilllll rim/{5y v Mfg-1% Filed Jan.1Q, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMATERIAL HANDLING ArrAnArUs Slu'yock r. McDaniels, Maplewood, N. 3.,assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application January it." i511, Serial No.313,945

' 9 Claims. (Cl. 214-98) This invention relates to material handlingapparatus and more particularly to a platform type industrial truckhaving a tilting frame attachment for dumping containers carried by it.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, safe andeconomically constructed material handling apparatus.

In accordance with oneembodirnent of the invention, a trunnion cradle isfixed to the elevating platform of a platform type industrial truck forreceiving a shaft fixed to opposite sides of a tiltable framework onwhich a load may be supported. The tiltable framework is rectangular andhas more than half of its length extending outwardly beyond the shaftand away from the elevating platform so that it normally tends to tiltout of a horizontal plane, and is held in a horizontal plane by a springpressed latch to which is attached a manually operable chain extendingto the operator's position on the truck so that an operator may releasethe tiltable framework and permit it to tilt to position to emptymaterial from a container held on'it, The outer end of the tiltableframework has slots formed in it for engagement by chains and keepersare provided for locking the ends of the chains in the slots. At itsinner end, the tiltable framework has a box-like structure fixed on itto hold chains not in use and is provided with slots .in which the endsof chains may be secured to industrial truck of the elevating platformtype modified in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is anenlarged side elevational view of a portion of the structure shown inFig. 1 showing, in detail, the features of construction of the tilt ableplatform and its appurtenances;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in side elevation in Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing the latching mechanism on anenlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatethe same parts throughout the several views, particular reference beinghad at this time to Fig. l, the numeral Ill designates, generally, anindustrial truck having the usual controls and being provided with ayertically extending framework, designated generally by the numeral H,for? guiding an elevating mechanism I2, which may be driven in any 55suitable manner and which is adapted to raise and lower an elevatingplatform i3. The industrial truck III, as pointed out, is provided withthe usual controls, which need not be described herein since they may beof any known commercial construction.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the elevating platform comprisesa horizontally extending load supporting plate l4 having formedintegrally therewith vertically extending aprons l5 and i6. The apronsi5 and I6 have fixed thereto a pair of plates l1 and i8, respectively,which extend outwardly to the right (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of the platforml3, being fixed to the aprons l5 and 16 in any suitable manner, forexample, by welding. The plates I1 and i8, which form part of a trunnioncradle, have bearing notches l9 and 20 formed in them and have notchedauxiliary plates 2! and 22 fixedv to them in the area adjacent thenotches l3 and 20 to provide a relatively large bearing surface for ashaft 23. The auxiliary plates 2| and 22 are interconnected by a channelmember 24 and an angle member 25,which serve to tie the extending endsof the plates i1 and I8 together and form a unitary structure forsupporting the open tiltable framework, designated generally by thenumeral 26, to which the shaft 23 is fixed, as will be described.

The tiltable framework 26 includes side plates 30 and 3|, which extendthroughout the lengthof the framework. The side plates 30 and 3| arereinforced by longitudinally extending angle members 32, 33, 34 and 35and by transversely extending angle members 36, 31, 38 and 39. While theside plates 30 and 3| and all of the angle members fixed thereto may besecured together in any suitable manner, this is preferably done bywelding them together to form a strong and rigid framework.

The angle member 33 has a relatively wide horizontal flange and thisflange is slotted, as shown at 45, 4 6 and 41, to receive the links of achain 48, the width of the slot being such that if one link of a chainis slipped into the slot, the next adjoining lower link will prevent thechain from slipping through the slot unless the link in the slot isslipped out of the slot. Keepers 49 are mounted on the horizontal flangeof the angle member 33 and are slidable in brackets for retaining achain in the slot 45, 46 or 41 in which it may be positioned. The chains48 are provided with hooks 5| at .spaced intervals throughout theirlengths for engaging a container, which may be positioned on thetiltable framework 26.

A container which may be carried by the tiltable framework 26 may haveany suitable configuration, and, in the present embodiment of theinvention, has been disclosed as a rectangular box 52 shown in dot anddash lines.

Mounted at the left end of the framework 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is achain box 53 for holding the chains 48 when they are not in use and forholding the extending ends of the -chains while they are in use. Thechain box, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, has end members Blland 8|, side members 82 and 88, a bottom member 84, and a top member 88.The end members 68 and 8| extend down over the edge of the channelmembers 88 and 35 and serve as braces for holding and lfll suitablypositioned in the vertically extending framework I. In this manner, thechain 85 is out of the way of any load to be carried on I the platformof the truck and the spring takeup mechanism 88 will serve to keep thechain taut without withdrawing the latch bolt 8|, whether the elevatingplatform I3 is in its lower position, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1,2 and 3, or in its upper position, as shown in dot and dash lines inFig. 1'.

In the operation of this apparatus, the tlltable framework may beconnected to the truck by the box against movement transversely of thetiltf able framework 26 and the various members making up the box arewelded together and to the framework 28, the angle member 88 extendingwithin the box and serving as a means for securing the box to theframework 28. On the right end of the chain box 58,'as most clearlyshown in Fig. 2, there is secured an angle member 68,, which serves asan abutment against which the container or -box:52 rests when the box 52is held in place on the framework 28 by means of the chains 48.

- The upper left side of the chain box .58 hasa door 18 mounted-on itwhich serves to close the chain box 53' and also-serves to prevent, thechains 48 from slipping. out offslots I I, I2 and 13 formed in the topmember 85 of the box. The slot 1 I2 and are similar to the slots 48,48and," in the angle; member. 88 and serve a similar purpose. The door IIis normally urged to remain closed since it is mounted on spring hinges14-14 and may be. opened by means of. a handle 15. Mounted on the leftface (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of the chain box 58 is: a guide bracket 88, inwhich-there is slidably positioned a bolt receiving member 8|. The boltreceiving member has a short channel member 82 fixed to it, which restsonv the guide bracket 88 and preventsthe bolt receiving member 8| fromdropping downwardly beyond the position shown in Fig. 2. The uppersurface of the channel member 82 is engaged by a-keeper 83, which isnormallyurged into position over the channel member by aspring 84 fixedto the bent-upend of the keeper 88 and to a bracketv 85, in which thekeeper 83 is slidably mounted. The keeper 88 also extends into a bracket86 to hold it against movement upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2. The lowerportion of the door 18 has a guide bracket 88 mounted on it for guidingthe bolt receiving member 8| when it is moved upwardly and held in itsupward position by moving the keeper 88, under the channel member 82.The bolt receiving member 8| extends downwardly through the loadsupporting plate I 4 of the platform l8 and has an aperture 88 in it forreceiving a latch bolt 8|, which is normally urged in a direction toengage in the aperture 88 by a coiled spring 82 fixed to a guide member.88 in which the latch bolt is slidable and to a pin 84 extending fromthe latch bolt. Attached to the latch bolt is a chain 85, which extendsfrom the latch bolt back to any suitable takeup mechanism 86 positionedon the truck body within reach of the operator. The-chain 85 is passedunder .the bottom of the platform I8 and between a rounded guide member88and-an upwardly-"extendina apron 88 mounted on and extending upwardlyfrom the load supporting plate 4. The chain 85 will thus be out ofpossible contact with a load which may be carried on the platform of'thetruck and extends fromthe guide member 88 between a pair of guidemembers |8|| simply elevating one end of it and guiding the truck into aposition where the shaft 28 may drop into the rounded notches in theplates l1, l8 and auxiliary plates 2| and 22. After the shaft 28registers in'the notches in the plates l1, l8, 2|

and 22, the framework 28 may be tipped to a horizontal position to causethe bolt receiving member 8| to be engaged by the latch bolt 8. Acontainer may readily be secured in position on the tiltable' frameworkby connecting the hooks 8| over the edges of the container and securingthe right end (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of the chain in the slots 48 '48 and 41'inthe angle member 88 and thereafter catching the left ends, of thechains 48 in the slots 1|, I2 and I8 inthe t'op member 88 of the chainbox 53. It should be noted at'this time that the chain box 88 is dividedinto three separate compartments by means of wall plates I85 and |88 sothat'the, chains,when not in use, will not become entangled and mayreadily be removed from thechai'n'box for attachment to a container tobe carried on the tlltable framework.

After a container has been mounted on the tiltable "framework II, asjust described, the truck may be used to transport material in thecontainer and the material carried in the container may readily bedumped therefrom by simply elevating the platform ii of the truck in theusual manner and then pulling the chain 88, whereupon the framework willtilt to the position shown in dot and dash linesin Fig. 1 to dump thecontents of the box from it. 7

Although a specific embodiment of the inven' tion has been describedhereinbefore, it will be understood that modifications thereof may bemade without departing from the scope of the invention, which is to belimited only by the ap-- pended claims,

What is claimedis:

1. In combination with an elevating platform type industrial truck, atlltable container supporting frame, means for pivotally supporting saidframe on the platform of the truck in position to tilt by its ownweight, and means for securing containers to said frame.

2. In a material handling apparatus, the combination with an elevatingplatform type in dustrial truck-of a tlltable framework pivoted on theend of the platform of the truck and normally inclined to tilt from ahorizontal position by its own weight, a latch for holding the frameworkin a horizontal position on the truck,and manually actuatable means forreleasing said last mentioned means, I

3. A tilting frame attachment for platform type industrial trucksincluding a framework tiltably mounted on the platform, flexible meansfor holding a load carrying containeron the framework, a compartment onsaid framework for containing unused lengths of said flexible 4. Atilting frame attachment for platform type industrial trucks including aframework tiltably mounted on the platform, chains for holding a loadcarrying container on the framework, and a container on said frameworkfor containing unused lengths of said chain, said container including adoor cooperating with notches in a wall of the container to retain thechain in adjusted position.

5. A tilting frame attachment for platform type industrial trucksincluding a framework tiltably mounted on the platform, chains forholding a load carrying container on the framework, and a container onsaid framework for containing unused lengths of said'chain, saidcontainer including a door cooperating with notches in a I wall of thecontainer to retain the chain in adjusted position, said container beingdivided into and a container on said framework for containing unusedlengths of said chain, said container including 'a door cooperating withnotches in a wall of the container to retain the chain in adjustedposition, chain engaging surfaces at the end of the framework oppositethe container for receiving said chain, and keepers for holding saidchain in engagement with said chain engaging surfaces. Q

8. In combination with an elevating platform type industrial truck, atrunnion cradle attached to the platform of said truck, a removablecontainer supporting frame, a shaft on said container supporting framefor registration with the trunnion cradle, said shaft being placed onsaid frame to the rear of the center of said frame so that the framewilltend to tilt in the trunnion cradle,

' and a latching mechanism on the platform of the compartments to holdthe chains separate one from another. I

6. A tilting frame attachment for platform type industrial trucksincluding a framework tiltably mounted on the platform, chains forholding a load carrying container on the framework, 9. container on saidframework for containing unused 25 lengths of said chain, said containerincluding a door cooperating with notches in a wall of the container toretain the chain in adjusted position, and chain engaging surfaces atthe end of the framework opposite the container for receiving saidchain.

'7. A tilting frame attachment for platform type industrial trucksincluding a framework tiltably mounted on the platform, chains forholding a load carrying container on the framework.

truck for looking a container supporting frame from tilting.

9. In combination with an elevating platform type industrial truck, atrunnion cradle attached tothe platform of said truck, a removableeontainer supporting frame, a shaft on said container supporting framefor registration with the trunnion cradle, said shaft being placed onsaid frame to the rear of the center of said frame so that the framewill tend to tilt in the trunnion cradle, a latching mechanism on theplatform of the truck for locking the container supporting frame fromtilting. and means connected to said latching means and extending to theoperator's station for releasing said latching means to permit thecontainer supporting frame to tilt.

BHRYOCK P. McDANIEI-S.

